Automatic pattern controlled machine tool



Nov. 6, 1945. H. P. KUEHNI EFAL 8,

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTRLLED MACHINE TOOL Filed May 7, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventors Hans F2 Kuehni, Norman G..Br-anson,'

by 3664475 )MAM v Them Atrtovney.

Nov. 6, 1945.

H. P. KUEHNI ETAL AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MACHINE TOOL Filed ma 7, 1943 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 F2 2 LUNGITIIPIIML F I? 8 SPEED Inventor-S Hans F2 Kuehni,

Nor-man GJBranSon,

Their- Attorney.

Nov. 6, 1945.

H. P. KUEHNI ETAL 2,388,555 AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MACHINE TOOL Filed May 7, 1945 5 Shets-Sheet 3 Inventor's: Hans -F? Kuehni, Nor-man G. Br-anson,

b Their Attorney.

Nov. 6, 1945.

AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MACHINE TOOL Filed May 7, 1943 Inventors: Hans P Kuehni,

Norman (5. Branson,

Their" AttOThe LJ.

H. P. KUEHNI E' l'AL 7 2,388,555

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC PATTERN CONTROLLED MACHINE TOOL Hans P. Kuehni and Norman G. Branson,

Schenectady, N. Y., assignors to General Electrlc Company, a corporation of New York Application May 7, 1943, Serial No. 486,046 16 Claims. (01. 9013.5)

This invention relates to automatic pattern controlled machine tools, more particularly to control systems for such machine tools, and a more specific object of the invention is the pro vision of a simple, reliable, and improved control system of this character.

The present application is a continuation in part of earlier filed application Serial No. 472,840, filed January 18, 1943, and, assigned to the same assignee. I

More specifically, the invention relates to automatic pattern controlled machine tools such as millingmachines, lathes, and the like, and a further object of this invention is the provision of means for effecting a relative movement of the cutter and work piece at a constant contour speed for all angles of such relative movement so that the tool marks on the work will be evenly spaced irrespective of the shape which is being'cut.

The relative movement of the cutter and the work piece in machine tools of this character is controlled by means of a tracer device which is maintained in engagement with the pattern as it I is moved along the profile thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a control system for a pattern controlled machine tool in which the two components of the relative movement of the cutter and the work piece are continuously correlated so that the movement is not a series of steps and a fine, stepless finish of the work is obtained.

In carying the invention into efiect in one form thereof, means are provided for supportingthe pattern and the work piece in operative relationship with the tracer andcutter, respectively. Suitable driving means controlled-by the tracer are provided for effecting the relative movement of the cutter and the work piece. This relative movement of the cutter and the work piece is the resultant of two anguiarly displaced components, e. g.. a longitudinal movement and a transverse movement. Means controlled by the tracer control the driving means so that the vector sum of the speeds of these two component movements is approximately constant irrespective of the magnitude of either, and therefore, irrespective of the angle of the resultant movement. This is accomplished by controlling the driving means in response to continuous variation of the force between the pattern and the tracer so that the speed of one of these components is continuously varied froma maximum value in one direction to a maximum value in the reverse direction, dependent upon the magnitude of the force, and the second component is unidirectional and its speed is simultaneously varied in inverse relationship to the speed of the first component.

In a specific embodiment of the invention, the tracer device includes a magnetostrictive member, 1. e., a, member whose magnetic permeability changes in response to the application of a force to the member. This change in permeability of the magnetostrictive member is utilized to produce a control voltage which in turn is utilized to control the driving means in the manner described in the foregoing.

In illustrating the invention in one form thereof, it is illustrated as embodied in a control system for an automatic pattern controlled metal cutting lathe, and also in a control system for a polar co-ordinate type milling machine.

For a better and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may now be had to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a simple, diagrammatical illustration of an embodiment of the invention as applied to a lathe; Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view of the tracer element; Figs. 3 and 4 are simple, diagrammatical illustrations of the sine and cosine regulators which constitute parts of the control system; Fig. 5 is a chart of characteristic curves which serve to explain the operation of the invention; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical sketch which illustrates graphically the variation of the force between the pattern and the tracer finger at various angles; Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 are charts of characteristic curves which illustrate the correlation of the speeds of the motors which produce the components of the relative movement of the cutter and work for the angles indicated in Fig. 6; Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic sketch illustrating the constancy of the velocity of the relative movement between the cutter and work at all angles of such relative movement along the contour; Fig. 13 is a view in perspective illustrating an application of the invention .to a polar co-ordinate type milling machine; and Figs. 14 and 15 are diagrammatic sketches illustrating the operation of the invention as applied to the milling machine of Fig. 13; Fig. 16 is a'diagrammatical sketch which illustrates graphically the variation of the force between the pattern and the tracer for various angles of a pattern which has an undercut area. Figs. 17 and 19 are modifications of the electric valve regulators of Figs.- 3 and 4, respectively, and are capable of producing relative motions between the tracer and thepattern andbetween the tool and the work piece in any direction in a plane; Fig. 18 is .a chart of the characteristic curves the pattern ll.

mounted on the cross which facilitate an understanding of the operation of the modified apparatusof Figs. 17 and 19, and Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic sketch of a portion of a pattern having an undercut portion which is somewhat different from that 01 the pattern of Fig. 16 and serves to illustrate the versatility oi! the modified control apparatus of Figs. 17 and 19.

Referring now to the drawings, it is desired to turn a metallic work piece l so that the final profile will conform accurately to the profile of The work piece l0, which may be of steel or other material, is rotated by suitable driving means about a longitudinal axis defined by the lathe centers of which only the tail stock center I2 is illustrated. The driving means for rotating the work may be and preferably is a direct current electric motor supplied from a source of alternating voltage through suitable electric valve apparatus which may be controlled to adjust the speed of rotation of the work piece to a desired value. Since the details of this motor and the electric valve control apparatus from which it is supplied constitute no part of the invention, they are omitted from the drawings in the interest of simplicity.

The pattern ii is supported by suitable means illustrated as a plate i3 to which the pattern H is firmly clamped by suitable means such as clamping screws i4. The supporting plate i3 may be securely fastened to the bed of the lathe, or may be built as an integral part of the lathe.

A cutter i5 is held in a tool post It which is mounted in a compound rest comprising an upper cross feed member II which is slidably feed slide of the carriage iii. The carriage I8 is slidably mounted on ways 19a for longitudinal movement along the bedplate IS. The longitudinal movement is effected by means of a lead screw 20 and a cooperating threaded member (not shown) with which the carriage is provided.

A tracer 2| is maintained in fixed but adjustable relationship with respect to the cutter by means or a rigid supporting arm 22 to which the tracer 2! is firmly secured and which, in turn, is rigidly secured to the cutter supporting means, i. e., the compound rest i1. Thus the tracer 2| and the cutter iii are supported in operative relationship, respectively, with the pattern i3 and work piece iii.

A preferred construction of the tracer device 2i is illustrated in Fig. 2. It comprises an outer cylindrical shell 23 which is formed of mild steel. The upper portion of the shell 23 is bored to have a larger inside diameter than theinside diameter of the lower portion, thereby to provide a seat {or a ring 24 which is preferably made of hard tool steel. A tracer finger 25 which is made of hard tool steel and has a shape which is -gen erally similar to that of a poppet valve is mounted within the bore of the lower portion of the shell with its flanged head bearing on the hardened seating ring 24. The lower end of the finger 25 projects through an opening in the bottom of the cylindrical shell and is of tapering shape to provide a cylindrical portion 25b which serves as the contact point which engages the profile edge of the pattern. The clearance between the finger and the outer shell at the bottom may be made quite small, e. g., .01 inch. A second hard steel ring 25 rests upon the lower hard steel ring 24. As indicated, the inside diameter of the ring 26 is greater than the inside diameter of the lower ring 24 so as to provide sufiicient space for the flanged head of the tracer finger 25. 1

A cylindrical spacing member 21 made of hard tool steel is fitted within the large diameter bore in the upper portion of the shell. This cylindrical member is held firmly against the upper hardened ring 25 by means of an annular member 23 which is in threaded engagement with the internal wall of the shell 23.

Within the cylindrical spacing member 21 is a cylindrical jacket 23 which may be made of any suitable magnetic material, e. g., one of the wellknown nickel-iron alloys such as Nicalloy or Permalloy. This jacket has a top cap 23a and a bottom cap 2312. These caps are provided with centrally disposed openings 29c and 23d, respectively.

Above the screw ring 23 is a disk member 35 made of hard tool steel. It is firmly seated on the ring 28 by means of a spring washer 3| the tension of which may be suitably adjusted by means of a threaded annular member 32, which is in internal threaded engagement with the wall or the shell 23. The disk 35 is provided with an adjustable set screw 30a.

A hollow cylindrical member 33 made of a material possessing the property of magnetostriction, such as nickel-steel, is arranged centrally within the cylindrical jacket 23 and is of sufilcient length to project through the openings 29c and 29d in the top and bottom caps 29a and 2%, respectively. This magnetostrlctive element is firmly held between the set screw 30a and the top surface of the horizontal flange of the tracer finger. As shown, the top surface of the flange is provided-with a rounded recess to receive the rounded, end of the cylindrical magnetostrictive element.

If a force is applied to the contact point 25b of the tracer finger in any radial direction in a plane perpendicular to. the longitudinal axis of the finger, a limited rotation of the finger 25 about a point on the seating ring 24 as a pivot will result. For example, if a force 11 acting toward the left is applied to the contact point 25b, the finger will be given a limited rotation in a clockwise direction about the point 250 as a center, and the flanged head 25a acting as a lever will apply a force to compress the magnetostrictive member. Likewise, if a force I: acting toward the right is applied to the contact point 25b, the finger 25 is given a limited counterclockwise rotation about the point 25d as a center, and the flanged head 25a will apply a force to compress the magnetostrictive member 33. Thus, the tracer finger 25 acts as a bell crank to apply a compressional force to the magnetostrictive member 33 in response to the application of force to the contact point 25b in any radial direction in a horizontal plane. The compression of the magnetostrictive element is therefore independent of the direction of the force applied to the tip of the tracer finger. In other words, the tracer is nondirectional. The application of a force to the magnetostrictive element effects a change in its magnetic permeability.

Within the jacket 23 and surrounding the magnetostrictive member 33 is a coil 34 which is wound upon a spool 35 that is preferably made of a suitable phenolic condensation product, such as Bakelite. The magnetostrictive member and the jacket 251cm a magnetic circuit for the magnetic flux produced by the coil. Leads 33 and 31 are brought out from the coil through openings in the top cap 23a, the disk 35, and the disk shaped terminal bracket 35 which is clamped in place at the upper end of the shell by means of an internally threaded clamping ring I! which is in threaded engagement with the outside wall of the shell 23 at the upper end thereof. The coil 34 constitutes one arm of a Wheatstone bridge, the remaining arms of which comprise the resistor 40 plus the portion of resistor ll at the left of the slider a, the resistor 42 plus the portion of resistor 4| at the right of the slider, and the coil 43.

A periodically varying voltage of suitable frequency, e. g., 2,000 cycles per second is supplied to the opposite bridge points 4 la and 43a froman electric valve type oscillator 44. Any suitable type of oscillator may be used. a The constructional details of the'oscillator are unimportant and the oscillator is therefore indicated conventionally in the drawings.

The Wheatstone bridge is initially balanced by adjustment of slider lla' when no force is applied to the tracer finger and the magnetostrictive element is prestressed. When a force is applied to the tracer finger, this force is multiplied and translated into a compressional force acting on the magnetostrictive member. The resulting change in permeability of the magnetostrictive member unbalances the Wheatstone bridge and causes a periodically varying voltage to appear across the opposite bridge points 40a and a. This unbalanced voltage is applied to the input terminals of an electric valve type amplifier 45. Preferably the amplifier 45 is of the type which has a direct voltage output that is approximately linearly proportional to the effective value of the periodically varying input voltage. Since amplifiers of this type are available on the market, it is unnecessary to illustrate the constructional and circuit details of the amplifier 45 and therefore it is represented conventionally in the drawings. Direct current power is supplied to the power input terminals 460. and 45b of the amplifier from a suitable source such as a regulated power supply (not shown) which is conventionallyindicated in the drawings by the two supply lines 46.

The relationship between the force applied to the tracer finger and the output voltage of the amplifier 45 is illustrated graphically by the straight line curve 41 in Fig. 5, in which ordinates represent the volts and abscissae represent force acting on the tracer finger. This curve ll indicates that the direct voltage output is approximately linearly proportional to the force acting on the tracer finger,

The output voltage of amplifier W is applied simultaneously to the input terminals its, Mb, and Alta, 49b of two electric valve type regulators it and 49,respectively, which are referred to as the sine regulator and the cosine regulator, respectively, The sine regulator is an electric valve apparatus which has a direct voltage output which approximates a sine function of the direct voltage applied to its input terminals. That is to say, that as the voltage applied to the input terminals 48a and 48b varies continuously and linearly from a minimum value to a higher value, the voltage at the output terminals 480 and 48d of the sine regulator varies continuously from a minimum value to a maximum value and then to a minimum value, as indicated by the curve 50 of Fig. 5. The cosine regulator 49 is a similar electric valve apparatus, the direct output voltage at the output terminals 49c and 49d of which varies approximately as a cosine function of the direct voltage applied to its input terminals. since the input voltages of the sine regulator and cosine regulator are the output voltage of the r and the right-hand path of valve 52 and amplifier 45 which is linearly proportional to the force applied to the tracer finger, the output voltage of the sine and cosine regulators are therefore sine and cosine functions of this force.

As indicated in Fig. 3. the cosine regulator comprises a plurality of electric valves 52, I3, and 54. Although the electric valves 52 and 53 may be of any suitable type, they are preferably twin triode' valves of the a small amount of an inert gas such as neon. The important characteristic of this type of valve is that when connected in series with a resistor across a source of variable voltage, the voltage drop across the terminals of the valve remains substantially constant.

Direct current power at a suitable voltage is supplied to the power input terminals 48c and 491 of the cosine regulator from a suitable source such as the regulated power supply represented by the two supply lines 46.' A'voltage divider comprising fixed resistor portions 55a, 55b, 58c and bid in parallel with each other and a variable resistor portion 55a is connected across the power input terminals 49c and 49!. The cathodes 52a and ii'b of valve 52 and the cathodes 53a and 53b of valve 63 are connected by means of sliders to points on this voltage divider of progressively increasingly positive voltage so that the left-hand conducting path of valve 62 is biased to cutoff, both paths of valve 53 are biased beyond cutoff by progressively increasing amounts. The grids of both valves are all connected together to the in- Put terminal 49a, and the negative terminal of the cathode voltage divider is connected to the input terminal 4%.

The anodes 52c and 52d of valve 52 and the anodes 53c and 53d of valve 53 connect through parallel adJustable resistors 56, 51, 50, and 69, respectively, and through aseries resistor M to the anode of valve 54 which is directly connected to the positive power input terminal Me.

The valve 54 is connected in series with a resistor ti across the power supply, and-a voltage divider comprising fixed resistor t2 and adjustable resistor tt is connected across the valve M. The power input voltage may be any suitable value which may be assumed, for example, to be 300 volts. Accordingly, the voltage of the terminal tits is 300 volts positive. The slider Ma is initially adjusted to a point on the voltage divider such that the voltage drop between terminal Win and the slider is equal to the voltage drop produced across the resistor 60 by the combined saturation currents of both conducting paths of valve 62. Assumin this lator and it exists when the force on the tracer finger is zero, as indicated by the point tie on curve 5! in Fig. 5. As the force increases, the voltage supplied to the input terminals tea and 4% increases linearly and in accordance with curve ll. This causes the left-hand conducting path of valve 52 to become conducing and to conduct an amount of current that increases as the input voltage increases. This increasing current produces as increasing voltage drop across resistor 60- which is in opposition to the voltage between terminals 54a and slider 83a so that the hard" tube type. The valve 54 is a cold cathode type diode-valve containing I voltage or terminal 60a begins .to decrease with the result that the net voltage across output terminals 490 and 49d decreases correspondingly. This is indicated in Fig. 5 by the negative slope of curve 5| between the points 5m and 5"). The

-magnitude of the current conducted by the lefthand conducting path of valve 52 reaches saturation, and the voltage across output terminals 45c and 59d is decreased to the value indicated by point 5lb on curve 5|. At this point, the right-hand path. of valve 52 becomes conductin As the force on the tracer finger increases beyond the value b, the right-hand path of valve 52 conducts an increasing amount of current with the result that the voltage drop across the resistor 50 is further increased until the saturation point is reached, which occurs when the force on the tracer finger has a value corresponding to the dotted line 0, Fig. 5. At this point, the voltage drop across resistor 50 is equal to the voltage drop between terminal 540 and the slider 63a with the result that the net voltage across the output terminals 450 and lid is zero, which condition is represented in Fig. 5 by the curve 5| crossing the zero axis at point 5Ic. The slope of the curve 5| between points 5) and 5| is made greater than the slope between ia and 5lb by adjusting the resistor 51 to a lower value than resistor 55.

A the force on the tracer finger is increased beyond the value c, the left-hand and righthand paths of valve 53 are successively rendered conducting, and the voltage drop across resistor 60 is correspondingly increased with the result that the terminal 50a becomes more negative than the slider 53a, thereby reversing the polarity of the voltage across the output terminals. With increasing force on the tracer finger the output voltage takes on the successive values indicated by the negative half of curve 5| until at a force corresponding to dotted line e, both conducting paths of valve 53 are saturated and the voltage drop across resistor 50 is twice the voltage drop between terminal 54a and slider 530. so that the net voltage across the output terminals 450 and 4911 is equal in magnitude and opposite in polarity to the maximum positive voltage. This maximum negative voltage is represented in Fig. 5 by the point 5le, the ordinate of which is equal to but opposite in sign to the ordinate of the point 54a which representsthe maximum positive voltage. Thus it is seen that by proper adjustment of resistors 55, 51, 55, and 55, the voltage output of the cosine regulator is caused to approximate a true cosin'e function of the force applied to the tracer finger. A closer approximation, if desired, can be obtained by increasing the number of valves.

The sine regulator 45 is similar in most respects to the cosine regulator. It comprises two electric valves 64 and 55 which are identical with valves 52 and 53 of the cosine regulator. The grids of both valves are connected together to the input terminal 48a. A voltage divider comprising fixed resistors 55a, 65b, 55c, and 56d and adjustable resistor 55s is connected across the power input terminals 45c and I. The cathodes 54b, 55a, 55!; are connected to points on the voltage divider of progressively increasingly positive voltage, so that the left-hand conducting path of valve 54 is biased to cutoff and the right-hand path and both paths of valve 55 are biased beyond cutofl by progressively increasing amounts. The anodes 54c and 54d of valve 55 are connected to output terminal 55c, and the anodes 55c and 55d are connected to output terminal d. Two resistors 55 and 55 are connected in series across the output terminals and their junction point 55a is connected to the positive power input terminal 45c.

When both valves are at cutofi the voltage diiierence across the output terminals is zero. However, as the force on the tracer finger is increased from zero, the voltage from amplifier 45 is applied to the input terminals 45a and 45b, and the left and right-hand paths of valve 54 become successively conducting and produce voltage drops across resistor 58 so that a net voltage appears across the output terminals 48c and d. The portion 01 the curve 55 between zero and 55b represents the output voltage as the force increases from zero to the value b, and the portion of the curve'between the points b and 550 represents the output voltage as the force increases from b to c. As the force increases beyond the value 0 both paths of valve become successively conducting and produce a voltage drop across resistor 55 which is in opposite sense to the voltage drop across resistor 55, and therefore, decreases the net voltage at the output terminals. The portion 01 curve 50.between points 550 and 55d represents the output voltage as the force increases from value c to value d, and the portion between the points 50d and 55e represents the output voltage as the force increases from value d to value c.

Thus the force on the tracer finger increases linearly from zero, the output voltage of the cosine regulator 45 varies continuously from a maximum positive value to a maximum negative value, and the magnitude of the output voltage of the sine regulator 55 is simultaneously varied continuously but inversely to the magnitude of the output voltage of the scans regulator. However, the polarity oi the output voltage 01' the sine regulator does not change.

The transverse movement 01' the cutter I5 is effected by means or an electric motor 10, the drive shaft 01 which is connected to the cross slide I! of the lathe through suitable driving connections illustrated as comprising worm gearing ll, shaft 12, bevel gearing I3, and a lead screw 14.

Although the motor III may be of any suitable type, it is illustrated as a split series field direct current motor. Power is supplied to the motor I5 from a suitable source of single phase alterhating voltage which is represented by the two supply lines 15 through a transformer 15 and suitable electric valve apparatus comprising the thyratron valves 11 and 18. These two valves 11 and 15 are connected as half-wave rectifiers and individually supply voltage to the motor through one or the other of the split field windings a or Illb to efiect rotation of the motor in the forward or reverse direction as required. The anodes 11a and 15a of thyra-trons 11 and II are connected through the field windings 15a and 15b in parallel and through the armature oi! motor II to the right-hand terminal oi! the secondary winding of transformer 15, and the cathodes l'lb and Ilb are connected to the left-hand 54a, (5 terminals of the secondary winding. A pair of g I 2,888,555 resistors 18 and 88 is connected inseries reiatio ship with each other across the control grids 71c and 180, and the Junction point 18a of these two resistors is connected through the active portion of a potentiometer resistor 8| between the terminal 18a and the slider lid to the cathodes 11b and 18b. A periodically varying voltage is supplied from a source 82 through a phase shifting bridge network to the potentiometer 8| and thence tothe control grids i'icand 18c. The 1 source 82 may, be and preferably is the same source as the source to which the anodes are connected. As shown, the phase shifting bridge network comprises the opposite halves of the secondary winding of the transformer 88, the'adl5 justable resistor 84, and the capacitor 85. By

suitably adjusting the resistor 84, the alternating component of voltage supplied to the control grids may be dephased with respect to the. anode voltage. Preferably the resistor 84 is adjusted 20 so thatthe alternating voltage supplied to the control grids is dephased from the anode voltage by approximately 90 degrees lagging, with the resuit that the thyratrons 11 and I8 conduct only during a-smali portion of the positive half cycle of the voltage applied to the anodes Tia. and 18a.

For the purpose of amplifying the direct voltage output of the cosine regulator, a suitable amplifier comprising a twin trlode valve 86 is provided. Power is supplied to the power input ter- 80 minals 86a and 88b of this amplifier from a. suitable ,independent D. C. source.- The control grids 01' this amplifier are biased to provide push pull class A operation with both paths of the valve conducting equal amounts of current through resistors 81 and 88. When a voltage is supplied from the cosine regulator to the grids of valve 86, one path is caused to conduct more current than the other, depending upon the polarity of the voltage from the cosine regulator with the result that the voltage drop across one of the resistors 81 and 88 is increased and the voltage drop across the other is decreased. As a result, a direct current voltage component in the positive direction is-applied to the grid of one of the thyratrons. This direct current component adds to the alternating current component supplied to the grid in..such a direction as to have the effect of advancing the phase of the grid voltage thereby to render the thyratron conducting by an amount proportional to the magnitude of the voltage supplied from the cosine regulator to the amplifier valve 88. At the same time, a direct current component is supplied to the control grid of the other thyratron in such a direction that it further retards the phase of the grid voltage, and thus the thyratrons i1 and I8 are selectively energized to effect; rotation of motor Win one direction or the other depending upon the polarity of the output voltage of the cosine regulator. In the circuit shown when the output terminal 490 of the cosine regulator is positive, the thyratron I1 is energized and that currentis supplied to the motor 10 in such a, direction for example as to cause the tool I5 to be moved inward toward the work piece i0.

Conversely, when the output terminal 49d of the cosine regulator is positive, the thyratron 18 will be energized and the motor 10 will be caused to rotate in a direction to withdraw the tool I5 from the work. The rotational response may be reversed by means of a switch in lines 49c, 49c

as required.

- The amplification ratio of amplifier 86 is such that a very small voltage, e. g., one volt across the the cosine regulator.

output terminals of the cosine regulator will fully advance the phase of the grid voltage of one or the other of the thyratrons I! and 18. As a resuit, the active thyratron tends to supply a current to the armature of the motor 10 which is several times full load value. This would tend oil course to accelerate the motor 18. to maximum speed for any output voltage of the cosine regulator in excess of onevolt.

For the purpose of accurately regulating the speed of motor 10 to a value corresponding to the instantaneous magnitude of the output voltage of the cosine regulator, means are provided for supplying to the grid circuit of the amplifier valve 88 a signal voltage which is proportional to'the speed of the motor 10 and opposite in polarity to the voitage supplied from the cosine regulator.

This signal voltage is provided by means of a tachometer generator 88 which is drlven'by motor 10 and generates a voltage'which is linearly proportional to the speed of motor 10. This signal voltage is applied across a resistor 90 in the grid circuit of amplifier valve 86 so that it opposes the voltage supplied from the cosine regulator, and the diil'erence of the two voltages is the eii'ective control voltage on the grid of the'amplifier valve.

The tendency of this feedback circuit is to regulate the signal voltage to the output voltage of In other words, it maintains the signal voltage approximately equal to the output voltage of the cosine regulator. Since the signal voltage is linearly proportional to the speed of motor 18, an equilibrium condition is reached when the difference of the two voltages is just sufiicient to cause the motor 10 to operate at a speed which accurately corresponds to the magnitude of the output voltage of the cosine regulator. Since the output voltage of the cosine regulator is a cosine function of the force applied to the tracer finger, the speed of the motor 10 will also be a cosine function of this force.

The longitudinal i'eed lead screw is driven by a motor 9| which is controlled to operate at a speed which is proportional to the magnitude of the output voltage of the sine regulator by means of electric valve apparatus shown within the dotted rectangle 92. This apparatus is identical with the electric valve apparatus which controls the cross feed motor 10, and accordingly, a repeti- 0 tion of the description and operation of this electric valve apparatus is omitted. The tachometer generator 93 performs the same function in regulating the speed of the longitudinal feed motor 8| that is performed by tachometer generator 88 5 in regulating the speed of the cross i'eed drive motor 10.

A voltmeter 94 is connected across the output terminals of the amplifier 45. The scale of this meter is so calibrated that each graduation corresponds to .00005 inch deflection of the tracer finger. The meter can thus be used as a very accurate gauge for electrical adjustment of the cross feed of the compound rest for taking finished cuts. Since it is possible to estimate fairly accurately one-half the distance between scale graduations, the cross feed can be adjusted to within .000025 inchof a desired position. This degree of accuracy exceeds by a wide margin that obtainable by means of the usual mechanical scales on the cross feed adjustment of a lathe. The electrical adjustment consists in shifting the bridge balance the desired degree by means of the potentiometer 4|. Also, the voltmeter 94 serves as an extremely accurate measuring device in setting 5 up a templet on the templet supporting plates.

6 I Any lack of parallelism between the longitudinal edge ot'the templet and the center axis of the lathe .and the amount of such divergence is readily indicated on the meter by moving the tracer finger along the longitudinal edges or the template with no work piece in the lathe.

With the foregoing understanding of the elements and their organization in the system, the operation of the system will readily be understood from the following detailed description.

It may be assumed that the tool and tracer are in position for starting a cut. In other words. the tracer point 25b will be withdrawn from the longitudinal edge Ila at the left of the pattern, as indicated in Fig. 6 which is an enlarged schematic view the portion 01' the pattern constitutin the longitudinal edge Ild and the semicircular edge Ilb. The tracer point 26b is in the position indicated in Fis. 6, and the tool It is in a corresponding position with respect to the work piece I I.

The system is energized by closing the switches ll, I8, and .1. Although the switches are illustrated as simple manually operated knife switches, It will be understood of course that they may be remotely controlled electromagnetic contactors. When the tracer point lib is in the position illustrated in Fig. 6. no force is exerted on the tracer finger. Since. when no force is exerted on the tracer finger, the output voltage of the cosine regulator is maximum and the output of the sine regulator is zero, as indicated in F18. 5. the cross feed motor 1. which is controlled by the cosine regulator will advance the tool toward the work piece and at the same time advance the tracer finger toward the templet at maximum speed. as indicated by the dotted arrow associated with the tracer point 25b in Fig. 6. The output voltage of the sine regulator being zero, the iongitudinal i'eed motor lI will be at rest and there -will be no component of longitudinal movement or the tool. This relationship of the speeds of thecross teed motor I0 and the longitudinal feed motor ll is indicated in Fig. "I,

When the tracer point llb engages the edge Ila oi the pattern, a force is exerted on the tracer finger and this torce quickly builds up to the value indicated by the dashed line c' in Fig. 8, and the .magnitude of this force is also indicated by the vector 90 in Fig. 6. As indicated in Fig. 8, when a force of this magnitude is applied to the tracer finger, the output of the cosine regulator decreases to zero and the output of the sine regulator increases to a maximum, with the result that the speed of the cross feed motor is decreased to zero and the speed of the longitudinal feedmotor lI' is increased to maximum. This results in moving the tracer finger in a longitudinal direction with zero component of transverse motion as indicated by the dotted arrow lla. simultaheously of course the cutter II is moved along the work piece in the same direction. As the tracer point lib begins to move out o engagement with the edge Ila oi the pattern at the corner llb, the force on the tracer finger decreases at a rapid rate with the result that the speed 01 the cross feed motor II is rapidly increased to maximum and the speed of the longitudinal feed motor ii is rapidly decreased to zero.

This causes the tracer point to advance inwardly as illustrated by the dotted line II which indicates along the semicircular edge Ilb or the pattern the path of movement oi the center of the tracer corresponding position with respect to the work piece.

As the tracer finger b is moved inwardly along the semicircular curve Ilb, the force on the tracer finger again increases linearly, thereby decreasing the speed of the cross feed motor In and increasing the speed or the longitudinal feed motor ll. When the tracer point has moved through 45 degrees of are along the semicircular edge Ilb, the force exerted on the tracer finger attains the magnitude indicated by the dashed line b' in Fig. 9, with the result that the cross feed motor 10 and longitudinal feed motor II operate at equal speeds as indicated in Fig. 9 by the intersection of the sine curve and cosine curve on the dashed vertical line I). Since the speeds the dashed line 0' in Fig. 8 which is the same value of'force that was exerted on the tracer finger when it first came into contact with the longitudinal edge Ila. As a result, at this point the tracer finger and the cutter are moved in a Ilb and the speed of the cross feed motor is zero.

longitudinal direction with no component of transverse motion as indicated by the dotted arrow lie in Fig. 6.

As the tracer finger 25b moves beyond the midposition on the semicircular curve in Fig. 6, the force on the tracer finger is increased beyond the value indicated by the vertical line 0' because the longitudinal feed motor Ii tends to keep forcing the tracer finger against the semicircular edge But. as the force increases beyond the value indicated by the dashed line 0', the output voltage of the cosine regulator passes through zero and the polarity of the voltage reverses, with the 5 result that the cross teed motor II rotates in the reverse direction to withdraw the tracer finger and the cutter.

This reverse component of the'cross feed motion produced by the reverse rotation of the cross teed motor combined with the longitudinal component produced by the longitudinal teed motor causes the tracer and the cutter to follow a path along the semicircular edge I lb between the positions6 indicated by the vectors c and lid in Fig.

At the 45-degree position represented by the position or the vector lld, the force on the tracer finger attains a value indicated by the magnitude or the vector ltd which corresponds to the magnitude of the force indicated by the dashed line d in Fig. 10, with the resultthat the cross feed motor I. and the longitudinal feed motor ll operate at speeds represented by the intersection of the dashed line 4' with the sine and cosine curves. In other words, the speeds or both motors will be equal andthe cross reed motor Il will be rotating in the reverse direction, 1. e.,-the direction to withdraw the tracer finger and the tool. The results of these twocomponents will produce a resultant relative movement of the tracer point and pattern indicated by the dotted arrow lid and will or course also produce a corresponding relative movement between the cutter and the work piece.

Point. The cutter is oi course maintained n a As the tracer point approaches the corner Ild,

the component of movement produced by the cross feed motor can no longer relieve the force on the tracer finger, and consequently, this force continues to increase until when it attains a magnitude represented by the vector 98c and by the position of the dashed line e In Fig. 11, the speed of the longitudinal reed motor 8| is decreased to zero and the speed of the cross feed motor I is increased to a maximumin the reverse direction as indicated by the intersection of the dashed line 6 with the sine and cosine curves. As a result, the tracer point and the tool will be withdrawn at maximum speed.

However, as the tracer point tends to ride off the edge of the templet at the corner lid, the force on the tracer finger decreases rapidly to the value indicated by the position or the dashed line 0' in Fig. 8, with the result that the tracer finger and cutter are moved in a longitudinal direction with no component of transverse motion as indicated by ,the intersections of the dashed line 0' with the sine and cosine curves l0 and -I' in Fig. 8. Thus, the relative movement of the cutter and work piece is controlled to follow a path corresponding to the contour of the pattern.

Thus, the relative movement of the cutter and work piece is controlled to follow a path corresponding to the contour of the pattern.

The constancy of the magnitude of the velocity V of the relative movement of the cutter and work piece for all cutting angles on the contour is illustrated in Fig. Hand is explained mathematically as follows: The relationship between the sine and cosine functions of a variable quantity such as an angle is defined for all values of the angle by the equation: I

'Vr. is always" proportional to the sinev function of the force F on the tracer finger and the velocity of the transverse component Vr is always proportional to the cosine function of the work F, therefore,

1 and since the resultant velocity therefore V equals a constant.

In other words, the velocity V of the relative movement of the cutter and work piece is constant for all angles of such movement along the path of the contour of the work piece.

rotating table I 0| relative movement In Fig. 13 which illustrates an application of the invention to a polar co-ordinate type milling machine, the work piece I00, which is illustrated as a cam, is mounted on a rotating table MI and the pattern I02 is secured to a frustum shaped spindle I03.

The milling cutter I04 together with its drivin motor I05 are mounted on a head I 0B which, in turn, is slidably mounted in ways I0Ia built in the crossrail I 01. In many types of milling machines.

the crossrail is slidably mounted on uprights to provide for elevation, but in the simple milling machine illustrated, the crossrail is fixedly secured to an upright I08 which preferably is formed integral with the bedplate I09. The tracer finger H0 is fixedly mounted on the crossrail I01, and a manually rotatable lead screw III serves to position the head I00 along the ways to provide for arrows along the edges IIOa,

Se, 0!, and I My in succession. The relative which is drivenby means of an electric motor lit through suitable'worm gearing I I4. This component of the relative movement of the cutter and work piece represented by the vector V0 in Fig. 14 corresponds to the transverse component of the produced by the cross feed motor I0 in the system of Fig. 1.

The table II" and the pattern supporting spin- (ile I03 are driven in synchronism with each other by means of an electric motor Hi to the drive shaft of which the table and the spindle are respectively connected through suitable worm gearing III and worm gearing III which have the same ratio. The component of relative movement between the cutter and the work piece produced by the motor III and represented by the vector V'r. corresponds to the longitudinal component of movement produced by the longitudinal feed motor 0| in Fig. 1.

The cross feed motor H3 and the longitudinal or rotary feed motor IIB are controlled by means of electric valve apparatus (not shown) which is Identical with the electric valve apparatus of Fig. 1. In other words, the motors I I3 and I I5 replace the motors I0 and BI, respectively, in the control system of Fig. 1.

The operation of the apparatus of Fig. 13 when translated into terms describing milling machine operation instead of lathe operation is in all material respects identical with the operation of the system of Fig. 1, and a repetition of such operation is omitted.

Frequently, it is desired to shape a workpiece from a pattemwhich requires a relative motion of the tool and workpiece in any direction in a plane through a range of 360 degrees or more. For example, it maybe desired to utilize the milling machine of Fig. 13 to mill a workpiece from a pattern such as the pattern II9 of Fig. 16. This pattern has an undercut portion. Preferably, the relative motion between the tracer and the pattern and between the tool and the workpiece will follow the path indicated by the II9b, IIBc, II9d,

motion of the tracer along the edges II9b and H9! is opposite in direction to the relative motion along the edge Ilild. Thus, to follow a pattern of this character on the milling machine of Fig. 13. the direction of rotation of the motor II! must be reversed at predetermined points in the operation to reverse the direction of 'rotation of the table I0! and the pattern supporting spindle I03.

To provide the necessary control of the motor H3, which moves the table I12 to produce the in-and-out or crossfeed motion, a modified form of the electric valve regulator of Fig. 3 is provided. This modified form of regulator is illustrated in Fig. 17 and is designated generally by the rectangle I20. It comprises two electric valves I2I and I 22 which preferably are of the which supports the work piece I23 between the verticallines I30 and I3I.

at a force on the tracer finger corresponding to' across the power input terminals 124a, I241. The cathodes I2la, I22a, I22b, and I2") are connected by means of sliders in the order enumerated to points of, progressively increasing positive voltage on the voltage divider, so that the left-hand path 01' valve I2,I is biased to cutoii', and both paths of valve I22 and the righthand path of valve I2I are biased beyond cutofl' I20a to the left-hand terminal of a center tapped resistor I26, and the anodes I220 and I22d are connected through parallel adjustable resistors I21 and I21a to the. right-hand terminal of resistor I20. The center tap of the resistor is connected to the positive side I24a of .the direct current power source I24a, I201). Resistor terminals I230 and I28b are connected to the output terminals I20c and I20d, respectively, which in turn are connected to an electric'valve type amplifier which supplies the crossieed motor 3- of Fig. 13 and which is similar to the ampl ifier which supplies the crossfeed motor 10 of Fig. 1.

The relationship between the voltage supplied to the input terminals I20a and I20!) and the voltage across the output terminals I20c and I20d is illustrated in Fig. 18 by the sinusoidally shaped curve I23. The relationship between the force on the tracer finger and the voltage supplied by the amplifier 45 to the input terminals I 20a, I20b is represented by the straight line I20.

The bridge circuit 30, ll, 42, 43 of Fig. 1 is balanced so that at zero force on the tracer, the output voltage supplied to the amplifier I is zero and all four conducting paths of valves HI and I22 are cut oil, and no current flows through the resistors I20. Consequently, the voltage across the output terminals I200, l20d is zero. If the force on the tracer'is increased, the voltage supplied to the input terminals I20a, 12017 is linearly increased and the left-hand path of valve I2I becomes conducting, thereby to produce a voltage drop across the left-hand portion of resistor I23 which appears across the output terminals I200, I20d. The magnitude of this voltage drop is represented by the ordinates of curve I23. Since the speed of the motor H3 is proportional to this voltage drop,. the ordinates oi the curve I23 also represent the speed of the motor II3.

In accordance. with the output current characteristic of the valve Hi, the anode current at first increases generally linearly until at a value of input voltage corresponding to a force on the tracer represented by the abscissa of the vertical line I30, the characteristic becomes nonlinear, as indicated by the portion of the curve Thus,

vertical line I30, the voltage at the output terminals I200, I201! and the speed oi. the crossieed motor II3 which is proportional thereto, are represented by the ordinates of point I231). As the force on the tracer finger increases between the values represented by verticallines I30 and III, the voltage drop across the output terminals I200, H011 and the speed of the motor H3 increase in accordance with the portion of the curve between vertical lines I30 and I3I. At a force on the tracer finger represented by the abscissa of vertical line I3I, the left-hand conducting path of valve I2I reaches the saturation point, and the ordinate of the corresponding of the resistor which is the net voltage across the output terminals. and correspondingly reduces the speed of motor II3.

At a force on the tracer finger corresponding in magnitude to vertical line I32, the-output voltage and the speed of motor II3 decrease to values represented by the ordinate of point I23d. A further increase in the force to a value represented by vertical line I33 results in equal and opposite voltage drops across the opposite halves of resistor I26 with the result that the output voltage and the speed of the motor II3 decrease to zero, which condition is represented by the zero ordinate of point I28e.

A further increase in the force on the tracer finger causes the right-hand path of valve I22 to become conducting, thereby causing the voltage drop across the right-hand portion of resistor I23 to exceed the drop across the left-hand half with the result that the polarity of the diiierential of these two voltage drops is reversed. This reverse polarity diflerential voltage appears across the output terminals and causes the motor II3 to rotate in the reverse direction.

At forces corresponding in magnitude to the vertical lines I33 and I35, the reverse polarity outputvoltage and the speed of the'motor I I3 in the reverse direction of rotation attain values rg gresented by the ordinates of points I23! and I 0.

When the force on the tracer attains the value represented by the vertical line I33, the righthand path of valve I2I becomes conducting thereby increasing the voltage drop across the left-hand portion of resistor I23 and decreasing the differential of the voltage drops across both halves oi the resistor, and the speed 01' motor II3 as represented by the portion of the curve I23 between the vertical lines I" and I31. When the force on the tracer finger corresponds to the value represented by vertical line- I31, the voltage drops across both halves of the resistor I23 are again equal and opposite. The result of this is that the diil'erential or output voltage and the speed of the motor II3 become zero as represented by the ordinate of point I23i.

The characteristics or the valves I2I and I22 do not produce an exact sine relationship be- 1 However, byadiustment or the grid biases of the valves and adjustment oi. the anode resistors I23, I2Ia, I21, and I 21a, the sine relationship can be very closely approximated.

The motor II! which rotates the work support I M and the pattern spindle I33 is controlled by an electric valve regulator I33 having input terminals I33a and I33!) and output terminals I33c nate of point Ilia.

assasss and Illd. The input terminals Illa and Illb are connected to the output of the amplifier ll of Fig. 1, and the output terminals I330 and me are connected to the twin triode amplifier which subsequentl become conducting successively in the order enumerated.

By adjusting the anode resistors Ill, Illa, Ill, and Illa and also by adjusting the biases or the valves I 42 and 3, a relationship between the force on the tracer finger and the speed and direction of rotation'oi motor III is produced which simulates the negative cosine curve MB. A current normally flows through the right-hand half of resistor Ill and resistor I33, thereby producing a voltage drop across the right-hand halt oi resistor I which may be adjusted to a desired value byadjustment of resistor I33. This voltage drop appears across the output terminals I380, I38d. Thus at zero force on the tracer, a voltage exists across the output terminals which causes the motor II! to rotate the work table I" and pattern spindle I03 in a counterclockwise direction. The magnitude of this voltage and the speed of motor, I It are represented by the ordinate of point Illa. Thus, for values oi tone on the tracer finger corresponding in magnitude to the abscissae of vertical lines I30 to I31, inclusive, the speed or the motor H3 attains corresponding successive values represented by the ordinates of points Il-Ba to Illi, inclusive, respectively. At point Illc and at point Illa the motor Ili changes direction of rotation. For forces on the tracer finger between zero and the value represented by vertical line I3I and between the values represented by lines I33 and I31, the motor rotates the table Ill and the pattern spindle I03 in a counterclockwise direction, and for forces between the values represented by the lines I3I and I3! the rotation is in a clockwise direction.

The curves I28 and Ill illustrate the instantaneous relationship between the speeds oi the motors H3 and III. The instantaneous speeds or both motors for-any force on the tracer is represented by the ordinates oi! the points of intersection of the curves I28 and I l8 and a vertical line having an abscissa which is a measure of the force. Thus at zero force the speed of the motor 'I I3 is zero as represented by the zero ordinate of point HM, and the speed of motor III is a maximum in the direction which produces counterclockwise rotation 01' the work table I III, pattern spindle I03, as represented by the ordi- Consequently, the radial in-and-out or crossfeed component of the relative motion of the tracer and the pattern and the tool and work is zero, and the rotary or longitudinal component of this relative motion is a maximum in the direction which causes the portionor the periphery of the pattern I02 in contact with the tracer to move to the left. The relative motion between the pattern and tracer at an angle 01 degrees with the tracer is represented by the to the left.

on the tracer increases to a ior zero force on the vector Ill directed When the force .value corresponding to vertical line I30, the

speeds of motors H3 and Illi are equal, as indicated by the ordinates of point I28?) and I481). The direction oi rotation of motor IIB continues in the same direction, and the direction of rotation of motor I I3 is in the in direction. resultant relative motion or both components is therefore represented by the vector Illa directed direction of vector Ill. 1

For forces corresponding in magnitude to the vertical lines I3I to I31, inclusive, the magnitude and direction or the resultant relative motion are represented by the vectors Illb to Illh,

. inclusive, respectively. Thus, the resultant relatlve motion can be in any direction in a plane and, as indicated by the vectors Ill and Illa to I llh, inclusive, it is in a different direction but 01 the same magnitude for each value of the force.

The operation of milling a workpiece to the contour of a pattern having an undercut portion such as illustrated in Fig. 1C is as follows: The position of the tracer relative to the pattern just prior to the beginning of the cut is indicated by the position of the small shaded circle Ill. The milling cutter occupies a corresponding position relative to the workpiece.

Sincethe tracer is not in contact with the pattern, the force on the tracer is zero. The motor II3is deenergized, and the motor II5 rotates at full speed in the direction which produces counterclockwise rotation of the pattern and workpiece, so that the motion is toward the left as represented by the' vector Ill. Thi motion continues atrull speed until the edge Ilsa of the pattern engages the tracer as indicated by the position of the dotted circle I 48a. As this motion tends to continue, the force on the tracer increases rapidly to the value represented by vector I3I' in Fig. 16 which corresponds to the value represented by the abscissa of the vertical line I3I in Fig. 18. At this force, the motor I I5 is stopped and the motor 3 operates at full speed to eifect movement of the pattern and workpiece in an inward direction relative to the tracer and cutter as illustrated by vector I llb. This relative motion continues along the edge 9a of the pattern until at the position I 48b, the force on the tracer finger tends to reduce to zero,

which again results in a counterclockwise rotation or motion of the pattern and workpiece to the left. However, as indicated in Fig. 16, the

represented by vector I3I" which corresponds to i the vertical line I! of Fig. 18. This produces a relative inward motion along the edge I I and a corresponding relative motion of cutter and workpiece.

At position IlBd the edge 9d comes into contact with the tracer, and the force on the tracer build up to a value represented by vector I33 justment of the apparatus,

degrees is not a critical value.

which corresponds to the value represented by vertical line I33 of Fig. 18. At this force, the motor H3 is stopped, and thg motor H5 rotates at maximum speed in the reverse direction so that the motion of the pattern and the work is to the right as indicated by vector Ifld of Fig. 18.

At, position 8e the force on the tracer builds up to a value represented by vector I35 correspondingin value to the vertical line I35 with the result that the motion is "out" as indicated by vector Il'lf of Fig. 18.

This outward motion continues untilthe edge H91 strikes the tracer at position I! and increases the force on the. tracer finger to a value represented by the vector I36a, which is slightly less than the value represented by the vertical line I31 of Fig. 18. This produces a relatively large component to the left and a relatively small ou component so that the resultant relative motion is along the slightly tapered edge H9).

At the position I489 the force on the tracer tends to decrease to a value represented by vector I35" corresponding in value to the force represented by the vertical line I35. The relative motion is therefore out" as illustrated by vector U of Fig.- 18.

This outward motion continues along the edge 9g until at position Illh, the force on the tracer decreases to the value represented by the vector I33" which corresponds to the value represented by the vertical line I33 of Fig. 18. As illustrated by vector Ilfld of Fig. 18, this produces a motion of the pattern and workpiece to the right so that the relative motion is alon the edge I I9h, thereby completing the cut. Thus the relative motion of tracer and pattern, and tool and workpiece has progressed practically through the complete range of 360 degrees so that the workpiece is milled to conform to the shape of the pattern of Fig. 16.

The pattern may be of a shape such as the pattern I49 in Fig. 20 in which it is necessary that the initial approach of the tracer to the pattern shall be from a position such, for example, as the position represented by the shaded circle I50. If no changes were made in the adthe initial relative motion would be in the direction of the arrow I5II' parallel to the edge I49a of the pattern, just as the initial motion in Fig. 16 was parallel to the edges H971 and H91. Consequently, in the case of the pattern I49 the tracer and the pattern would never come into contact. However, by adjusting the position of the slider 4 la on the resis-' tor 4|, the bridge circuit 40, 4|, 4!, 43 of Fig. 1

can be given an initial unbalance so that with no force on the tracer, a voltage will be supplied to the amplifier 45 which will cause the control system to respond exactly as it would respond if the unbalanced voltage were produced by a force on the tracer; for example, to produce an output voltage of the amplifier 45 corresponding in value to the ordinate of the point I29a on the linear curve I29 of Fig. 18; Consequently, the initial relative motion between the tracer and the edge 9a will take place at an angle of 45 degrees to the edge I49a as indicated by the vector Illa of Fig. 18 and the arrow I5I of Fig. 20. Forty-five The angle may be any value which is less than the value of the minimum undercut angle I52.

The initial relative movement proceeds in the direction of the arrow I5I until at the position I50a, the force on the tracer builds up to a value to produce relative motion along the edge 9a in the direction of the arrow I53. Thereafter. the force on the tracer will vary as indicated by the magnitude of the vectors I54, lilo, Iflb, tile, Ifld, and Ifle to produce relative motion along the profile edge of the pattern in the direction indicated by the arrows in a manner which is similar. to that of the milling operation described in connection with the pattern of Fig.

Although in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes this invention is described as embodied in concrete form and the principle thereof has been described, together with the best mode in which it is now contemplated applying that principle, it will be understood that the apparatus shown and described is merely illustrative and that the invention is not limited thereto, since alterations and modiflcatlons'will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit of this invention or from the scope of the annexed claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by I Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A contouring control system for a pattern controlled machine tool having a cutter comprising in combination, a tracer control element. means for supporting a pattern and a work piece in operative relationship respectively with said tracer and cutter, driving means for effecting relative movement of said cutter and work piece,

means responsive to the force between said pattern and tracer for producing a variable direct voltage, means for deriving from said voltage a pair of control voltages that vary as the sine and cosine functions of said force and means responsive to-said control voltages for controlling said driving means to effect said relative movement of said cutter and work piece with a velocity having angularly displaced components that vary approximately as sine and cosine functions of said force.

2. A contouring control system for a pattern controlled machine tool having a cutter comprising in combination, a tracer control element, means for supporting a pattern and a work piece in operative relationship respectively with said tracer and cutter, driving means for effecting relative movement of said cutter and work piece, means responsive to the force between said pattern and tracer for producing a variable direct voltage, electric valve means for deriving from said voltage two control voltages that vary as sine and cosine functions of said force, and means responsive to said control voltages for controlling said driving means to effect said relative movement with a velocity having two angularly dis placed inversely varying components.

3. A contouring control system for a pattern controlled machine tool having a cutter comprising in combination, a tracer control element having. a magnetostrictive member, means for supporting a pattern and a work piece in operative relationship with said tracer element and said cutter respectively, driving means for eflecting relative movement of said cutter and said work piece, means responsive to engagement of said tracer element with said .pattern for applying a force to said magnetostrictive member. and means responsive to the resulting change in permeability of said magnetostrictive member for controlling said driving means to elTect said relative movement with a velocity having two angularly displaced inversely varying components.

4. A contouring control system for a pattern controlled machine tool having a cutter comprising in combination, a tracer control element having a magnetostrictive member, means for supporting a pattern and a work piece in operative relationship with said tracer element and said cutter respectively, a pair of electric motors for effecting relative movement of said cutter and said work piece, means responsive to engagement of said tracer element with saidpattern for applying a magnetostrictive member, ,means for supporting a pattern and a work piece in operative relationship with said tracer element and said cutter respectively, an electric motor for etlecting relative movement of said tool and, work piece in a first direction, a second electric motor for effecting relative movement of said tool and work piece in direction angularly displaced from said first direction, means responsiveto engagement of said tracer element with said pattern for applying a compressional force to said .magnetostrictive member, and means responsive to the resulting change. in permeability of said magnetostrictive member for eiiecting simultaneous operation of said motors at inversely varying speeds'to efl'ect a resultant relative movement of said tool and work piece with a velocity that is substantiall constant for all angles.

6. A contouring control system for a pattern controlled machine tool having a cutter comprising in combination, a tracer control element having a, magnetostrictive member, means for supporting a pattern and a work piece in operative relationship with said tracer element and said cutter respectively, a pair of electric motors for eflecting relative movement of said cutter and work piece, means responsive to engagement of said tracer element with said pattern for applying a force to said magnetostrictive member, means responsive to the resulting change in permeability of said member for producing a variable direct voltage, means for deriving from said voltage two continuously inversely varying control voltages, and means individually responsive to said control voltages for controlling said motors to effect said relative movement at a substantially constant velocity having angularly displaced, inversely and continuously varying components. v

'7. A contouring control system for a pattern controlled machine tool having acutter comprising in combination, a tracer control element having a magnetostrictive member, means for supporting a pattern and a work piece in operative relationshi with said tracertelement and said cutter respectively, a pair of electric motors for eiiecting relative movement of said cutter and work piece, means responsive to engagement of said tracer element with said pattern for applying a force to said magnetostrictive member, means responsive to the resulting change in permeability of said member for producing a variable direct voltage, electric valve means for deriving from said voltage a pair oi control voltages that vary as sine and cosine functions of said force, and

assasss means responsive to said control voltages for eilecting simultaneous operation of said motors at speeds that vary respectively approximately as sine and cosine functions of said force to efiect said relative movement of said cutter and work piece at a velocity that is substantially constant for all angles. I

8. A contouring control system for a pattern controlled machine tool having a cutter compris. ing in combination, a tracer control element having a magnetostrictive member, means for supporting a pattern and a work piece in operative relationship with said tracer element and said cutter respectively, a pair of electric motors for eil'ecting relative movement of said cutter and work piece, means responsive to engagement of said tracer element with said pattern for applying a force to said magnetostrictive member, means responsive to the resulting change in permeability of said member for producing a variable direct voltage, means for deriving from said voltage two continuously inversely varying control voltages,

means for controlling said motors to eflect said relative movement at a substantially constant velocity having angularly displaced inversely varying components comprising electric valve means provided with control grids.

' 9. A control system for causing a tracer element to follow the outline of a pattern comprising in combination, a tracer element, means mounting the pattern and tracer for relative movement, a reversible driving means for selectively effecting a component of relative movement of said pattern and tracer element in opposite directions, a second reversible driving means for selectively eflecting a component of relative movement of said pattern and tracer element in opposite directions at an angle with said first component, and means responsive to the magnitude of the force exerted on said tracer element as a result of contact with said pattern for producing a variable direct voltage, means for deriving from said voltage two controlling voltages that vary approximately as sine and cosine functions of said force and a pair of electric valve means separately responsive to said sine and cosine control voltages for controlling the energizationof both said driving means to eil'ect a resultant relative movement of said pattern and tracer in any direction in a plane; said direction of said relative movement depending on the magnitude of said force.

10. A control system for causing a tracer ele- I ment to follow the contour of a pattern comprising in combination, a tracer element, means mounting the pattern and tracer for relative movement in. all directions in a Plane, a first reversible driving means for effecting relative movement of said pattern and tracer element in a first path, a second reversible driving means for eii'ecting relative movement of said pattern and tracer in a path at an angle with said first path, means responsive to a force of a first value acting on said tracer element for energizing said first driving means to effect said relative movement in said first path in one direction and responsive to a force 01' a second and substantially greater said second value for eflecting said relative movement in said second path in the reverse direction.

, 11. A control system for causing a tracer element to follow the contour of a .pattern comprising in combination, a tracer element, means mounting said pattern and tracer element for relative movement in all directions in a plane, a first electric motor for effecting a'first component of said relative movement, a second electric motor for effecting a second component of said relative movement at an angle with sai first component, means responsive to successively increasing values of a force exerted on said tracer element for efiecting rotation of said first motor at a speed that varies approximately as a sine function of said force and in opposite directions for values of said function of opposite sign, and means responsive to said increasing values of said force for simultaneously elfecting rotation of said second motor at a speed that varies approximately as a cosine function of said force an in opposite directions for values of said cosine function of opposite sign.

12. In combination, a, pattern, a tracer element, means mounting said pattern and tracer element for relative movement, a first electric motor for effecting a first component of said relative movement, a second electric motor for effecting a component of said relative movement at an angle with said first component, means responsive to successively increasing values of a force exerted on said tracer element for eifecting rotation of said first motor at a speed having a relationship to said force generally similar to a sine function of said force and in opposite directions for values of said relationship of opposite sign, and means responsive to said increasing values of said force for effecting rotation of said second electric motor at a speed having a relationship to said force that is generally similar to a cosine function of said force and in opposite, directions for values of said relationship of opposite sign.

13. A control system for causing a tracer element to folow the contour of a pattern comprising in combination, a tracer element, means mounting said pattern and tracer element for relative movement, a first electric motor for effecting a component of said relative movement, a second electric motor for effecting a component of said relative movement at an angle with said first component, electric valve apparatus responsive to successively increasing values of force exerted on said tracer element for effecting rotation of said first motor at a speed varying with said force generally as a sine function of said force and in opposite directions for values of said function of opposite sign, and additional electric valve apparatus responsive to said increasing values of said force for effecting rotation of said second motor at a speed varying with said force generally similarly to a cosine function thereof, and in opposite directions for values of said cosine function of opposite sign.

14. In combination, a pattern, a tracer element, means mounting said element and pattern for relative movement, a first reversible driving means for selectively effecting a component of said relative movement in opposite directions in a path, a second reversible driving means for selectively effecting a component of said relative movement in opposite directions in a path at an angle with said first path, electric valve means responsive to successively increasing values of force exerted on said tracer for energizing said first driving means for operation in one direction at speeds that attain successively increasing and decreasing values and then in the cpposite direction at speeds that attain successively increasing and decreasing values, and additional electric valve means responsive to successively increasing values of said force for energizing said second driving means for operation successively in opposite directions at speeds which vary inversely as the-speeds of said first driving means.

15. In combination, a pattern, a tracer element, means mounting said element and pattern for relative movement, a first electric motor for effecting a component of said motion in a first path, a second electric motor for eilecting a component of said relative movement in a path at an angle with said first path, electric valve means responsive to a force exerted on said tracer element of successively increasing values for supplying to said first motor a voltage that attain successively increasing and decreasing positive values and successively increasing and decreasing negative values to control the speed and direction of said first motor, and a second electric valve means responsive to said increasing values of said force for simultaneously supplying a voltage to said second electric motor that successively attains negative and positive values varying inversely with the voltage supplied to said first motor to effect operation of said second motor in opposite directions and at speeds that vary in inverse relation to the speeds of said first motor.

16. A control system for a pattern controlled machine having a tool for cutting a work piece comprising, in combination, a tracer element. means mounting said tracer element and tool and said pattern and work piece for relative movement, a first electric motor for efiecting a component of said relative movement in a path, a second electric motor for eifecting a component of said relative movement in a path at an angle with said first path, electric valve means responsive to a continuously increasing force exerted on said tracer element in response to contact with said pattern for supplying to said first motor a voltage that attains successively increasing and decreasing positive values and successively increasing and decreasing negative values to control the speed and direction of rotation of said motor and additional electric valve means responslve to said continuously increasing force for simultaneously supplying to said second motor a voltage that successively attains negative and positive values varying inversely with the voltage supplied to said firstmotor to effect operation thereof selectively in opposite directions and at speeds that vary in inverse relation to the speeds of said first motor thereby to produce a substanti'ally constant resultant relative speed of said tool and work piece along the contour of said work.

HANS P. KUEHNI. NORMAN G. BRANSON.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,388,555. November 6, 19LL HANS P. KUEHNI. ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, first column, line 52, for "carying" read --carrying--; page 5, second colunin, line 70, for "conducing" read --conducting-; page 6, first column, line 75, St t th words a b t semicircular edge 15b of the pattern" and insert the same after the word inwardly line 71, same page and column; and second column, line 25, for "against" read --again--; page 12, first column, line [41 claim 15, for "folow" read --follow--; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 26th day of February, A. D. 191% Leslie Frazer (Seal) First Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

